Random Boone County News, circa 1813
The early history of Boone County would lack a spirit of interest if it were not interspersed now and then with the local happenings. So the writer will give you some of the local gossip that took place in the winter of 1813 and 1814.
The following news items were clipped from the North Western Spy, A Cincinnati newspaper published 1813-1814: Col. Johnson's big bull dog got mashed to death in John Houston's wolf trap. Sam Mosby has a likely Negro wench he would trade for horses, cattle, or both. Patrolers caught Kirtley's Negro man Ben without a pass and give him a severe cowhiding. Bears have been very destructive this winter. They raid somebody's hog pen almost nightly. While Sam Johnson was breaking flax the brush took fire and destroyed nearly everything around.
Expectations have been on tip toe for some time on account of a report that a steam boat would pass down the river on its way from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. Our particular women are busy with spinning wheels and looms, making material to clothe the soldiers un Gen. Harrison and Dick Johnson. Kittlehead John Grant returned lately from the Army near the Great Lakes, where he was shot in the knee by an Indian and disabled for further duty. The Keel boat Christopher Columbus passed up from New Orleans to Pittsburgh last week, heavily loaded with sugar and molasses, 57 days out. It took three hours of hard pulling, pushing and cussing to get her through the swift water in front of Laughery Bar.
Thomas Allen started one of his black boys to the watermill on Woolper with a grist of corn in one end of the sack and a rock in the other to balance it. The horse scared and threw the nigger, rock, corn and all off, the rock falling on the nigger, hurting him badly. Robert Mosby and May Spangler were married during the holidays. The bride was handsomely attired in a linen dress of her own making from the spinning wheel up. The groom looked every inch a man in his regulation suit of brown jeans. Robert Kirtley, the youthful pastor of Bullitsburg Church, performed the ceremony.
Col. Sebree and John Harsly, who took a flat boat load full of pork to New Orleans have returned. They gave thrilling accounts of their return afoot through Indian country. They came through Nashville, Tennessee and report Gen. Jackson raising a large army to meet the British at New Orleans Col. John J. Flournary, who lives in the big house in Petersburg, received a clock from Philadelphia two or three weeks ago. The first one in Boone County. People from near and far go to see the wondrous machine. Mrs. Parker's black man, Jack, went to see it Sunday and when he returned home he said he heard it strike seventeen and still continue clocking.
from an undated issue of the Stringtown Christian, Vol 1, #6, by A. M. Yealey